


Faithful Heart

by Warp5Complex_Archivist



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-07
Updated: 2006-03-07
Packaged: 2018-08-16 00:44:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8080162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warp5Complex_Archivist/pseuds/Warp5Complex_Archivist
Summary: Why did Malcolm never tell anyone? (08/03/2003)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Kylie Lee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Warp 5 Complex](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Warp_5_Complex), the software of which ceased to be maintained and created a security hazard. To make future maintenance and archive growth easier, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but I may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Warp 5 Complex collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Warp5Complex).

> Faithful heart  
> What more can one life ask  
> One hand to hold along life's path  
> Share with me this vow  
> And for all times our souls will be entwined  
> I give this love, I live this love  
> No greater joy is mine  
> Storms will come, but we will never part  
> For each of us bequeath a faithful heart

"May I introduce Somaya Ragashwar-Reed. My wife."

Trip didn't think. He didn't even pretend to do such a thing; the only thing he was able to hear when the doors wooshed shut behind him as he fled the bridge was Malcolm's calm voice saying something he had never ever expected to hear.

"My wife."

Trip clenched his hands into fists as he leaned at he elevator wall, not caring if it would bring him anywhere.

My wife.

As in legally wedded. Till death do us part.

So much for being honest, Malcolm Reed.

And his world shattered.

* * *

Trip clenched his fists and tried to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. Something must be deeply wrong with his heart, because every beat hurt like hell, sending a sharp pain through his entire body.

My wife.

Somaya Ragashwar-Reed, newly assigned ambassador on Vulcan, to be precise.  
And Malcolm Reed's wife.

The man he had finally opened up to completely, had admitted his feelings to, had given up running away from, the man he loved more than his own life, the man who had saved said life more than once, hell, who had become his life.

The man who was married.

And had never talked about it.

Not once in their three months relationship or in the long time before.

This time the pain was almost mind-numbing, and Trip gave up fighting the tears as he curled up into a tight ball on his bed, letting them fall finally, weeping in silence.

Trust was a highly fragile thing. As was love.

* * *

Trip showed up at the beginning of his shift, going to work silently. He gave orders, helped here or there if needed, but kept to himself most of the time. After his shift was half over, he grabbed his tool box and retreated into a jeffrey's tube to work on some relays. His staff looked at one another, puzzled and worried, but shrugged nevertheless.

It was a small ship nevertheless.

And rumors traveled fast.

Malcolm was about to push the door chime to announce himself when it swooshed open by itself.

"Malcolm Reed! There you are! What is going on here?!"

Uh-oh—pissed off woman.

"Maya, it's not what you think..."

"Bull shit!"

Make that VERY pissed off woman.

Malcolm all but ducked behind the door at the heated outburst from his wife.  
Maya might look like an angel, but there was steel beneath that silken surface. Life had made this of her, Malcolm mused silently, remembering only too well the cheerful girl she had been once, the easy to impress teenager, or the happy young woman. But he remembered something else as well, something he wished he had never witnessed. Life had made Maya tough and strong, fit for the job she was about to take. But at the moment she was fuming with anger, and it was directed at him.

"Maya..."

"What? It IS bull shit. Come on in, you're producing a crowd out there."

She all but pulled him into her cabin—well, Hoshi's quarters, to be precise.

"You want to know what I think? " Her face softened and she stepped closer to her husband, cupping his face between her hands, her brown eyes locking with his gray.

"First guess: I think that you found someone, Malcolm. Someone who loves you and whom you love. Am I right?"

"Well..."

"I AM right. Second guess: he's here. Onboard."

"...yes..."

"See? Third guess: it's that handsome blond engineer with the cute smile and the nice bu...behind."

"You noticed."

Maya gave him a smile at the dry remark and a quick friendly peck on the cheek, before she turned back to her suitcase.

"Hey, a girl can look, right? Besides, don't tell me you didn't notice? Took a reeeaal close look yourself, hm?"

Malcolm smiled and shook his head in disbelief. Maybe life had changed her—but not too much. In a way she still was his wife, the girl he had grown up with, the girl next door—and his best friend. That was what he had loved her for, and still did.

"Maya girl, you're incorrigible."

"Hope so. But, Malcolm," she looked up from pulling her clothes out, " you didn't tell him, did you."

He walked over to a chair and let himself sink in it, slumping into the cushions as if a heavy weight was resting on his shoulders. Because that was exactly what he felt like.

"no..."

"Why?"

Malcolm looked into her questioning eyes. They might have not seen each other in years, but still she knew him like nobody else. Except Trip, that was, and from the looks of it he might have very well lost his love, due to his own thoughtlessness.

"I...forgot."

"You forgot."

He grimaced.

"I know how that sounds. Maya, he's the one for me. First I thought I was losing him to an illness, then I had an accident that almost killed me and he was running. We had to sort it out, and then...then..."

"I came on board."

"Something like that, yes."

"Oh Mal..." Maya kneeled in front of him, taking his cold hands between hers. Malcolm smirked.

"He's call...used to call me the same."

"What did you expect, the man has a good taste. Mal, we'll manage this, somehow. We managed so many things together, this is just one of them. And, `cause I'm on my knees anyway, Malcolm Reed, would you give me the honor to become my ex-husband?"

Malcolm couldn't help laughing.

"Sounds like a pretty good idea."

"See? Knew you'd say that."

Malcolm smiled again at her, then his face grew serious as he spotted something between the clothes in her suitcase.

"You still have it?"

She turned to look what he was referring to, recognizing the item in question.

"Yes."

Her voice sounded sad and lost, and now Malcolm squeezed her hands reassuringly.

"Tomorrow's the day. Becky's birthday."

"It's been twelve years..."

Malcolm wrapped his arms around his wife, when a tear slowly ran down her cheek. He just held her, like he had done so many times in the past, silently, just being there for her.

"I know...shhhh...I know..."

He stared helplessly at the photograph sticking out between her clothes. It showed a very young woman, more a girl that was, cradling a small newborn baby in her arms. Malcolm didn't care for the single tear that was running down his own cheek.

There was something really important he would have to do. But not right now.

* * *

Malcolm tried to talk to Trip for the entire day, but the engineer kept avoiding him successfully. Until Malcolm had enough and simply followed him into a jeffrey's tube.

"Trip, I need to talk to you."

"There is nothing to talk about, Malcolm."

"Oh, but there is. Please, listen to me."

"Could you make yourself useful and hand me that...thank you."

"Trip, please."

"Malcolm, I really have work to do here." Trip didn't turn to look at Malcolm.

"Trip, you're not on duty."

"Work doesn't care."

"I'm trying to apologize here, Trip. You could at least listen."

Trip climbed deeper into the tube.

"I have to re-calibrate these relays, Malcolm. Can't it wait?"

"NO. Trip, I have waited far too long..."

"To tell me you have a loving wife waiting for you back home? After three months of being with me I'd call that too long, yes." Trip's voice was calm and levelly—something that told Malcolm a lot about the other man. Trip was reining in his anger carefully.

"Trip, all I ask for is you to trust me like I trust y..."

This time Trip whirled around as fast as the confined space of the tube allowed it.

"Holy shit, Malcolm! What sort of crap is that? You trust me enough to let me fuck you, by all means, but not to tell me you're MARRIED?!"

"Trip..."

"Oh no, no way. Don't `Trip' me here! You are married! You have a wife! For about what? 10 years now? And you didn't even felt the slightest necessity to tell me?"

"Should I have let it slip between dinner and sex? `Oh, by the way, Trip, I am married. Can we fuck now?'"

The hurt in Trip's eyes struck Malcolm and he groaned inwardly. Wrong thing to say, Malcolm dear.

"You're so pathetic, Malcolm. What am I for you, huh?"

"Trip...I love you. I forgot about it..."

"You what? You FORGOT about the fact that you are MARRIED?!"

Damn, what kind of idiot was he? This time Trip didn't look just hurt—he looked agonized.

"And when would I have found out you FORGOT about me? When would it be convenient for you to FORGET about me?!?"

"Trip..."

"Tell you what, Malcolm...I spare you the effort. Forget about me, all right!"

"Trip..."

"Uh-uhn. Just...forget it. You're so good at it, shouldn't take you that long. And if that be all, Lieutenant, I'd be glad if you'd get THE HELL out of my engine room!!"

Trip returned his attention to his relays.

"Trip...?"

"That would be Commander to you, Lieutenant."

Malcolm knew he was officially dismissed. Now what?

Brown eyes shot lightning at him.

"You WHAT?!

"Maya..."

"You told him you FORGOT about it?!"

"Maya..."

"Idiot."

"Maya..."

"Men! How stupid can one be, huh? Told him he forgot about it."

"Maya..."

"Geeez, if you want to have it done properly make a woman do it. You know what, Malcolm Reed?"

"What?"

"I should just let you leave to stew. But that would be quite unfair to that cute engineer, wouldn't it?"

"Maya, what have you...Maya? Somaya Ragashwar-Reed, what are you up to now? Come back....Maya?"

But Malcolm was talking to empty space now. Women...

* * *

"Commander?"

Trip started at the female voice that had interrupted his train of thoughts and looked up, directly into a pair of brown, worried eyes. Somaya Ragashwar was approaching him, had just caught him in the mess hall before he could escape to the safety of his cabin. And the emptiness of it. Damn.

"Ambassador."

He knew he should be more friendly, should address her in a more proper way than this flatly sounding one word, but he just couldn't. Couldn't even look at her. It wasn't her fault after all, but...he just couldn't. Trip took his untouched meal and attempted to rise.

"If you'll excuse me, ambassador, I have..."

"No."

"I'm sorry?" he stopped startled.

"I don't excuse you, Commander Tucker. In fact, I want to have a word with you, and since you seem to avoid me...well, let's just say, I really would like to see you in Lieutenant Reed's quarters after your shift is over, in—let's say, an hour? Your shift IS over by then, isn't it?"

"Ambassador, I don't think..."

"I know that." Her face softened and she smiled at him sweetly, but her voice told of pure steel behind that distracting surface. So much like Malcolm...

"Commander, I ask you now. I'd hate it if I'd have to order you. Makes me real cranky, you know? So, in one hour it is?"

"Yes, ma'am." Trip complied stiffly, telling her with his body language that, if she wanted to play it that way, she could have it.

"Thank you, commander." With another sweet smile and a rustle of a silk Sari she was gone. That went well. Now what, Trip, ole buddy?

* * *

Trip pushed the door chime button hesitantly. He really didn't want to talk to the ambassador, whatever she wanted to tell him. But she had made it crystal clear that she would order him if he wouldn't come, and that could become real ugly. And he was a man who hated ugly, so he decided to jump over his own shadow and come here tonight, to simply get it over with.

"Come." he was invited as the door swooshed open.

"Ah, Commander, come in, come in." Somaya's warm smile greeted him, no trace left of the iron ambassador he had seen earlier.

"Ambassador."

"Holy, will you skip that crap tonight? Call me Maya. Please?"

"Listen...Maya, I don't..."

A soft clearing of throat caught his attention and he swirled around, finding himself nose to nose with his lover. Make that ex-lover, Trip, you broke up with him just the other day...Trip hadn't seen Malcolm, hadn't really looked at him the other day, but now, being this close to him, he noticed the clouded eyes, the even more pale skin and the dark shadows under his eyes. Just like he himself must look....wonder why Jon didn't intervene...well, maybe this is the Capn's doing...

"Uh...Malcolm....Listen, I .. "

"No. Trip, there is one favor I'd like to ask you, entirely off the record."

Maya stepped up as Malcolm pulled back, and she reached out. The warm hand placed on his upper arm, simple but effective, held Trip in place.

"Hear us out. Hear me out. Listen to the whole thing, and if you want to leave afterwards, I won't keep you. Nor will Malcolm. That's the last you could do," she added," for all you two had. Don't you think?"

"Maya, you're blackmailing him." Malcolm cut in quietly.

"Aw shuddup, Malcolm. This is important."

Trip couldn't help the small chuckle escaping his lips at the slightly annoyed look that this earned her.

"Well?"

Aw what the...she was right after all. Sinking down into a chair Trip sighed.

"All right. Shoot."

"Good, very good. First and most important thing, we have already filed a petition for divorce. That was what we both forgot about over the years. This marriage will be over in a few days. Why did we get married in the first place, you might want to know."

Maya and Malcolm exchanged glances.

"We were young and foolish, both of us. We grew up together, I was the diplomat's daughter and...well, I think you know about Mal's father, right?"

At Trip's nod she continued, "when I was seventeen I was in love, utterly and helplessly—and you know how it is with nave teenage girls—with the wrong guy. He was ten years older than me, and, well, what shall I tell you? Next thing I knew I found myself dumped and crying my heart out at Malcolm's shoulder. Ended up at the altar just a week later."

Trip blinked in surprise.

"Why? I mean..."

A flicker of something unreadable crossed her face, and Trip noticed the calm way Malcolm took her hand.

"I was pregnant at the time."

Whoa...

"So you played the knight in shining armor?" Trip could have bitten his tongue at his sarcastic comment. Shit, that was uncalled for...

"No, not like that. Malcolm was..."

"Maya? Let me."

Malcolm's thumb was caressing his wife's hand in a tender way. Trip clenched his jaws, and the other man seemed to sense his discomfort, because the motion stopped.

"Maybe you remember what I said about running away from one's own feelings? Being that scared from their depths that you would do anything—anything to make it end?" he asked quietly.

"You mean this `been there, done that' thing? I thought that was just..."

"To comfort? Just a saying? No. I HAVE been there, and I HAVE done that. Didn't do me any good. See, " Trip watched in astonishment as Malcolm raked a hand through his hair. He couldn't remember having ever seen his lover doing something like that.

"I was eighteen at the time. Father wanted me to join the Navy, follow his path, so to speak. Not my idea, as you already know. Especially since...I realized the way I could feel for another man. It took me completely by surprise, for it went against everything I had learned. Unnatural, sinful, against the law of the Lord, not to mention the church. But here I was, and I felt this way. Nobody I could talk to about it except Maya. Somehow she had noticed and simply asked me about it."

"Did you...I mean, this guy..."

Malcolm shook his head.

"We were friends. Good friends, I give him that, but that had been that. I never approached him, so I never knew what could have been. Later I learned...but that's not important here. The day Maya came to me with her news, I was on the edge, too. So I ran, away from what I felt, away from what I was, announcing that I was the one getting her pregnant."

A small smile crossed his face. "You can't imagine how fast two pairs of worried parents can manage to prepare a wedding out of the blue. Before we realized what exactly had happened we were returning from our honeymoon to our own apartment and my new job. I had to feed a family from now on, father claimed, so I'd better see to that properly. What I did. For exactly six months."

"What happened?"

"The...our baby...was born prematurely. Her name was Rebecca."

"Oh." Trip swallowed. He had expected—well, he had no idea what he had expected, but surely nothing like this!

"Maya...I don't know what to say...I'm sorry."

"It's...no. It's not okay. I didn't want that baby then, but she was mine nevertheless. When I lost her...my world collapsed again, and Mal...he was just there, again. And again." She squeezed his hand, smiling at the man at her side, then back at Trip.

"We were married—on paper, Trip. We never were anything more than real good friends. One day, about two years later, I just—left. Dear-John-letter, telling something about going on with my life, crap like that. I finished my studies, and went back home."

"Didn't you try to find her?" Trip asked puzzled.

"Of course." was the calm reply. "And I did find her. We talked about everything, over and over again, and in the end I had to admit she was right. I don't know what we would have become if we had stayed together, but most certainly we would have lost our friendship. So we decided that was that, and separated. Just somehow it must've slipped our mind that a marriage has to be lawfully divorced."

"Until now?"

"Hard to believe, hm?" Maya smirked. "I don't believe it either. But Trip," she leaned forward, looking at him intensively, "there's one thing I learned. Running away doesn't help. I didn't find me a someone I trust that much, as Malcolm trusts you. I am glad for him, and I don't want him to lose this again, lose everything all over again, because of a mistake I made so many years ago. Look at this, Trip. Be honest to yourself. Talk. And that's an order this time."  
The sound of the doors wooshing shut barely penetrated Trip's whirling mind. The amount of news he had received about the man currently sitting in front of him, waiting, was almost overwhelming. Of course he had known Malcolm had had a life before Enterprise, before meeting him—hell, he certainly had—but not this. Never this.

"Trip?"

Carefully uttered, it finally occurred to him that Malcolm was talking to him.  
"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry. You're right, I should have told you earlier. It's just that..."

"Something like this doesn't exactly fit between bed and breakfast."

"Something like that, yes. I can fully understand the way you acted. I mean, you must have felt betrayed deeply, thought I lied to you, right to your face, the whole thing about trust and honesty."

"You bet."

"Trip, I never lied. It...slipped my mind because I was so bloody worried about you. I recognized this dancing-around-me as something I did when I realized I could feel that deep for a man. I decided to be patient, wait for you, watch you. Maybe that was wrong, I don't know. But I know this: when I ran away I made a mistake. I don't know what could have been, but back then it was hell. And I was alone and under lots of pressure, something I never wanted for you, never wanted you to endure. You have friends here, Jon and Travis and Hoshi and all the others. If you hadn't wanted to talk to me you could have talked to them. I just had Maya, but I had to be there for her, especially after Becky died."

Trip noticed the slight hiccup in his lover's voice at the mentioning of that baby's name.

"She was your daughter as well." He didn't really had to ask, it was clearly written all over Malcolm's face. A small nod. "Though not biologically, but I loved that little girl nevertheless. She had the most incredible blue eyes I've ever seen—just like yours. And she was so small, like a little china doll. Maya was allowed to hold her when..."

Trip watched Malcolm swallow, his expression blank as if looking at something very far away. Years maybe...and suddenly he felt helpless, like the most stupid moron that ever traveled the universe in a starship.

"I...I don't know what to say..." he murmured, looking at his hands.

"You don't have to say anything. This happened a long time ago, is part of who and what I am, but it's over. Not forgotten, never forgotten, but over."

He heard Malcolm inhale deeply, before the other man continued.

"Yes, sometimes I wonder what could have been...she'd be twelve years old now, you know. Her first day at school. High school years, first boyfriend, what career she would have chosen...yes, sometimes I think about that life. And a part of me misses it, misses her." Trip felt a lump in his throat at these silent words, an image forming in his mind: Malcolm Reed with a little girl walking on his hand, or a young girl wrapping her arms around his neck, smiling at him, calling him `daddy'—and him smiling back.

"That what you want?" he whispered.

"Being a father?"

There was a moment of silence before Malcolm answered.

"No. Not anymore. I'm not the same man I was back then, and I want different things. I want...I want you, Trip. I want you to listen to me, really listen. Can you do that?"

A part of Trip felt the urge to step closer, to take the man into his arms, ease the pain that seemed to radiate from his lover—but the other part stopping him was stronger. So he just did what Malcolm had asked. Listened.

"I know that I am the first man for you, that it's not easy. Frightening, sometimes. It's different from loving a woman in one way and absolutely not different in another. And just when you thought you had it, something like this happens. I don't know if you can ever trust me again, believe me again, but I want to tell you that I love you, Trip Tucker, no matter what. You know the story now. Think about it. Take your time, I will wait for you. I will be there when you need me, I will not leave you as long as you don't ask me to. If you decide you don't want this, you don't want me anymore, fine, then I'll move on. Not lightheartedly, believe me, but if that's what you wish, I will. I will not stop loving you, though. I made this vow, and I meant it."

Trip realized that Malcolm had started for the door, and he called.

"Mal? What happened to that guy, back then?"

Malcolm shot him a look over the shoulder and a small smirk.

"You don't want to know."

Malcolm waited. He had learned to be patient with his lover, and he knew only too well that Trip would need time, time to think, to decide whether he could still trust him. Malcolm understood that what he had done could shatter the fragile faith Trip had finally put into him, not in the line of duty, not with his life, but with is heart and soul. So Malcolm waited. It was hell. When, after three days, he finally heard the doorchime, he silently prayed that the waiting period was over, that it was Trip and that he had made up his mind.

"Come."

Good, his voice wasn't shaking. When the door opened and he saw the lean frame of Trip Tucker slowly enter his quarters he felt his tight control slip away. Trip's eyes were following his every move when he slowly approached him, standing in front of Trip, almost breathless, waiting, for a permission, a reaction, something.

It came.

Trip lifted his hand, his fingertips almost cautiously running through Malcolm's hair, and Reed closed his eyes, all but leaning into the touch he had missed for so long. Then Trip pulled and he felt himself being pressed against a hard body, held tight, head pulled back and then—Trip's lips claimed him all over again. There was nothing soft in that kiss. Hard and demanding, it spoke of need and desire and a little anger, and yet there was love in it as well. Malcolm felt himself all but melt against the body he had craved, into the embrace, moaning into the kiss when Trip's hands started to roam over his body, not really tender but passionate. Held against Trip's body he shivered with barely suppressed need of his own, feeling himself growing hard as Trip already was.

A hand enclosed his wrists as Trip pulled back finally, watching him with fiery eyes, before he bend his head again to suck at Malcolm's neck.. Hot breath against his skin, a whisper in his ear, "You owe me one..."

When Trip slowly pushed one of his hands toward his groin, intention clear, before pulling back again, watching and waiting. Malcolm held his breath when he understood what Trips was asking of him, and he only too well remembered how he once had asked this himself, had enjoyed watching the lithe body shiver, writhe, flush, had enjoyed listening to the soft moans and jagged breaths, the way Trip had shuddered and whispered his name when he had been doing himself. Yes, Malcolm still owed him one. His hand was released and he stepped back, shrugging out of his shirt, feeling the burning eyes caressing his back when Trip followed his move, standing behind him, but not touching him. Hands followed his, covering his lightly as he slowly pushed down his sweats, shivering in the cooler air of the room and the hotter air of Trip's breath on his skin. Turning, Malcolm slid on the bed, watching Trip as Trip watched him, then he closed his eyes. He gasped slightly when he felt his own hands on his skin, his own fingers wandering down his body, over the flat stomach, down his thighs...slowly parting his legs, ghosting up the inner thighs, only too aware of his lover standing there, watching. When Malcolm reached his destination he felt the mattress dip—Trip had laid himself down beside him. Fingers closing around himself, moving slowly, caressing the tip, Malcolm bucked involuntarily, moaning again. A leg was pushed between his thighs, spreading them further, and he gasped in surprise and growing desire at the feeling of rough clothing against his most sensitive areas. Trip was still fully dressed, he realized. His lover's own hardness was pressed against his hips, fingertips teasing his nipples in a feathery touch, Trip sighing against his neck. It was almost too much, and Malcolm started to move again, feeling his own hands around himself, Trip's breath at his neck and the roughness of his clothing on his skin with every move, every shudder. Malcolm started panting, his hips bucking against his hands, but still held down by his lover's leg, heart hammering in his chest, spreading his thighs even further—Malcolm yelped at the feeling of a slick finger brushing over his backside, teasing.

"...Trip...god..."

Beyond coherent thought he cried out when his lover's finger's searched and found, stroking him on the inside. He trembled with pure need, arching into his own touch, groaning, stumbling toward the edge—when his wrists were enclosed again, held over his head and pressed on the pillow. Trip shifted between his legs, and Malcolm's eyes flew open. He needed to see Trip, needed to know, needed to...Trip looked at him, panting himself, eyes reflecting his very heart—and Malcolm's head fell back into the pillow, back arching again, when Trip bent down, swallowing his scream in a fervent kiss, as he—god, finally—ended this torture, entering him.

A few thrusts was all his inflamed body needed, all Trip seemed to need himself, and they both tumbled over the edge, Trip's fingers buried in Malcolm's hair, moaning his lover's name into his mouth. And something else.

"Love you, Mal..."

Trip's fingertips glided over his lover's neck and earlobes, coming to rest on the lips, thumb ghosting over them, tickling. He had shed his clothing, and they were snuggling together under the blankets, skin on skin, holding each other close.

"Guess we've been pretty much daft, huh? "

"You could say that." It was barely a whisper, Malcolm's breath caressing his skin before the other man gradually took his wrist in his hand to press a featherlike kiss the soft sensitive skin on the inside.

"You forgive me?"

"I love you, Mal. It never occurred to me what kind of story could stand behind your marriage."

"How could you? It looked quite obvious that I had been cheating on you."

"Would you have told me?"

"Yes, I would. I just wasn't sure if you'd be..."

"Able to handle it, huh? After me doing that stupid running away stunt?"

"Something like that, yes."

Trip chuckled quietly.

"You might've been right."

"I know. Trip?"

"Hm?"

Malcolm turned to look at Trip intensively.

"What you said...about `til death do us part..."

"I meant it." Trip answered calmly.

"You still do?"

There was a second of silence, when Trip watched him this time, and Malcolm felt his heart skip a beat. Could Trip...after this...

"Yes. I still do. More than ever. But, Mal?"

"Yes?"

"No more running away on my part. No more avoiding talking on yours. I don't want any more misunderstandings between us. Ever. Deal?"

"Deal."

This time the kiss was soft. And long.

* * *

"Sickbay to Lieutenant Reed."

Malcolm frowned when hearing Phlox's voice from the intercom. Who...?

"Reed here."

"Lieutenant, I require your assistance in sickbay, if you're not too occupied at the moment."

Malcolm's frown deepened.

"Of course, doctor. What's going on?"

"Just join me and you'll see."

With these cryptic remark the Denoblian doctor shut off the line. O-kay, Malcolm mused puzzled, whatever was wrong it couldn't be one of his crewmates -Trip—hurt or Phlox would have told him right away. Only one way to find out then.`

"Ex-CUSE me?!"

Malcolm stared at the doctor in sheer disbelief.

"You can't be serious."

"See for yourself."

Phlox guided him to a small aquarium. When Malcolm stared at it, he was able to make out something at the bottom of the glass tank, something that looked suspiciously like a flat grayish blob.

"See?"

"I don't...no way..."

"Oh, every way, Lieutenant. It's lonely."

With that he shoved the stunned officer a little closer in the tank's direction. Malcolm swallowed when he noticed the tiniest of movement in the—well, blob, as if a small wave had been moving it. "It", Malcolm knew only too well, was a jellyfish. An empathic symbiotic jellyfish that had done miracles in saving his hand and arm after the severe plasma burns. And that it liked him. Too much, as it seemed now.

"It doesn't eat, it doesn't swim, it produces only grayish colours. I dare say, it is seriously depressed."

"Depressed? It's a jellyfish."

Phlox waved his index finger in front of Malcolm's nose.

"You have said that before, Lieutenant. And yet, you acknowledged its liking for you. It misses you. Maybe we should test my theory out?"

"Uhm...how?"

"Your arm, if you please?"

Phlox removed the lid from the tank and let Malcolm's hand slid into the warm water. The change was immediate. An explosion of colors within the water, as well as a fast swift move...

"Whoa..." Malcolm did his best to suppress his reflex to pull his hand back. The jellyfish had wrapped itself around his hand, the small threadlike tendrils dancing over his skin and tickling wherever they touched him, all shades of blue, red and purple washing over the enthusiastic animal. All in all it looked like a rainbow veil in the tank suddenly.

"Theory verified." Phlox stated wryly.

Malcolm glared.

* * *

He put the water tank on his desk, glaring into the clear water and at the jellyfish, which was floating happily, emanating a questioning green.  
"I told you in the first place," Malcolm growled, watching the jellyfish blushing—violet. He sighed in surrender.

"All right, I'm not mad at you, hush now..." Removing the lid and holding his hand over the water's surface he watched one silvery tendril rise and wrap itself around his fingers, tugging carefully while another one caressed his hand.

"And how am I supposed to explain THAT to Trip?"

* * *

Warm arms encircling his waist from behind, a soft wet pressure on his neck, teeth evoking a shudder when he tilted his head to grant his lover further access. Trip nibbled his way down Malcolm's neck while his hands slipped under the other man's shirt, languidly stroking the bare skin, one slowly heading down south...

Splish.

Trip blinked twice, but a nudge against his hip returned his attention to the hard body in his arms. Malcolm had reached up, a hand running through his hair, pulling his head down into a hot kiss...

Splash.

Trip's head whipped up at the wet sound.

"There! I KNEW I heard something! What...?"

"Trip, it's nothing. C'm here."

Malcolm had turned in his arms, sending his fingers on an exploration tour under his lover's shirt, slowly working on every button down to the waist. Trip moaned when a nipple was found, bending down into another kiss...

Splitsh.

"What the HELL is that sound?!" Trip looked around puzzled. "Don't tell me there's some splishing here like the squeaking in the Capn's quarters..."

Malcolm sighed, then pushed his lover back and onto the bed.

"No, it's not. Make yourself comfortable, I'll show you."

Trip leaned back into the pillows, closing his eyes, listening to his lover rummaging around. A dip of the mattress told him Malcolm had returned, as did the soft lips that were caressing his own. Malcolm's fingertips were wandering over his bare chest, tickling his skin, featherlike ghosting over his nipples, while something warm was dripping—wait a minute! Trip's eyes flew open startled, gazing right into his lover's sparkling gray's. Carefully looking down his own body...

"Whoa...!"

Trip would have jerked back hadn't it been for Malcolm's soothing hand on his chest. And on that hand...a glibbery jelly slightly glowing—something—with tentacles, for crying out loud, that at the moment were dancing over his skin, like searching for something!

"Oh no, no way! Mal, what the hell is that?!"

"It's a jellyfish. Its name is Crys."

"Why do you have a jellyfish on your hand, Malcolm? And what is it doing there?" Trip watched with growing horror as the glibbery thing slid from Malcolm's hand down on his stomach, the tendrils softly dancing over his skin. Its color turned into an interesting shade of pink.

"Malcolm? What...?"

Trip gazed with growing panic at the something that obviously intended to make itself a home just above his belly button. The thing had tendrils! And they were sliding over his skin, producing an interesting sensation, not really unpleasant but—whoa, oh no...

"Malcolm, what is it doing? And where are you going? Mal?"

"If you have enough—just put him back."

"Put him...wait. Malcolm?! I HATE you, Malcolm!!"

A quick glance down his stomach, a quick grab...

"Oh no you don't—that's definitely restricted area down there! Malcolm? Okay, so, now that we're alone at last..." Trip felt the slight tugging of a soft tendril at his fingers, and he followed the request without thinking, slowly stroking the not at all glibbery surface of the jellyfish. It swirled happily. Dark blue.

* * *

The next morning Enterprise reached her destination and Ambassador Ragashwar was ready to leave the ship. She smiled warmly at Trip, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him unceremoniously.

"Ambassador, I don't think this is..."

"Who cares? It's about time those Vulcans learn something about having fun, don't you think? And Trip," she pulled back, expression serious, "you take good care of my husband, you hear me? Or I'll be right back, and you know what they say about hell and the fury of a woman?"

"Ex-husband, Maya girl. And believe me, Trip; you don't want to experience THAT." Malcolm smiled at his ex-wife, finding him in a tight embrace himself.

"That goes for you as well, Malcolm Reed. Take care of Trip, and let him take care of you. You know what I mean, don't you?"

"Maya..."

"Malcolm!"

"All right. And don't you get lost again for years, you hear me?"

"I love you, too, Malcolm."

And then she was gone.

"She's something else, isn't she?" Trip muttered lowly, wrapping his arms around his lover from behind.

"Indeed. It was nice to see her again, you know." Malcolm leaned into the embrace.

"Old friends, huh? Been through a lot together, know each other..."

Malcolm turned to look at Trip questioningly.

"There's something you want to tell me, love?"

"Uh-hm, yep. Received a message the other day, from an old friend of mine. Man, we were like so close back then, Glen and me. Best friends in college, roomies at the academy. He called to tell me he'll be at Jupiter Station when we get back, asked if I'd like to met him. I said yes, of course. Man, haven't seen him for what—five years? You'll like him, Mal. He's..."

Malcolm watched his lover, noticed the happiness dancing in his eyes, listened to the enthusiastic tone of voice, nodded every now and then or gave an agreeing sound as they walked back to their quarters. Trip was talking about his oldest friend, a man he hadn't seen for years, and was happy to meet again. And Malcolm was happy for his lover. Really.

* * *

"Oh...god...Mal, yes...."

Trip moaned, head thrown back into the pillows, his world reduced only to the wet heat surrounding him while Malcolm was working magic with his tongue and lips on him. Fists clenched into the sheets he bucked into the touch of a tongue and a cool slick finger against......plitsch...

....finger against his....

...splish....

...a well known sensation building in his...

...splatsh.

He sighed. So much for...

"Trip?"

A very disheveled—god, what a sight—but worried Malcolm appeared when Trip slowly opened his eyes.

"You all right?"

"I'm perfectly fine, love."

Silence.

"Uhm, Trip...you know this can happen..."

"Malcolm!"

"Yes?"

"It's not...geeez, you know how to...you just know how to make an evening. But one thing would make this night REALLY perfect."

"That would be?"

"A blanket over that AQUARIUM!"

Silence.

"Trip?"

"Yes, Mal?"

"You DO know that Crys is empathic?"

Silence.

"Ah hell."


End file.
